Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-08-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrom our Regular corrCspondent.)

tFrom our Regular Corrospondent)
WASHINGTON, August 10th, 1887.
In my last letter wrote of the land
surveying fraudulent accounts from
California, which had been worked over
by "reform" Democrats, years after the
accounts had been paid and payment
secured n second time. The fla il is
veiled in such mystery that am only
able to state the amount of loss SO, 900,
sustained from.this source by the Gov
crnment it is not impossible that fur
ther and fuller particulars will soon be
forthcoming. Frauds and Irregularities
in tho public service seem to be the Or
der, or rather the disorder, of the day.
AS the bascbalists have it, the Treas
ury and Interior Departments having
had their ''innings," it is now the turn
of the War Department, and it comes
bobbing up-First, with the vanished
$1,000, which an Army Paymaster per-
mitted Wyoming Territory cowboy to
rob" him of it has been decided that
the officer was too careless with this
large sum OF money and he has been re-
lieved from duty till he or his hondsmen
replace the loss; Second-with the ir-
regularities not to use harsher term--in
the Quartermaster Generals Department;
the veterinary surgeon was constrained
to resign, because he had been keeping
private livery stable at the expense of
the Government-plcadin ignorance of
the law rs his reason for such reprehen-
sible conduct; still, he was allowed to de-
part in peace then the scandal caused
by the army officers using the teams OF
the Department for purely private pur-
poses, such as hauling building materials
Tor their residences and fertilizers for
their gardens &c, And, lastly, the dis
Treasury, of the bills for the purchase
of horses for the personal use of Mr.. En-
dicott, the Mugwump Secretary of War.
1t may seem cruel in me, but, shall
also have to ventilate a frard that has
just come 10 the surface in the Depart
ment presided over by the dudish Whit
ney of Standard Oil fame Paymaster
George r. Watkins, United States Navy
has been dismissed the service by court
martial for the following good and suffi-
cient reasons. Issuing clothes and sup
plies to sailors and mariners and charg-
ing the same as cash; of buying coal
above market rates and of certifying
falsely contrary to facts charging cash
payments to dead men of other similar
charges, and of disobedience of orders
and of desertion. Before being dismiss
ed, the Paymaster must serve his couu-
try three years in the penitentiary ; hi
clerk convicted of forgery and malicious
destruction of public records, was sen
fenced to four years in prison, and t.
pay fine os 81 600 the President ha
remitted the fine and reduced the i'm
prisonment to two years.
!. Writing of irregularities" remind
me of case that excItes much commen
in the Interior Department-thato of Jno
B. Riley, Superintendent of India
l Schools, who, while receiving q salar.
of $4,000 year has been absent severa
Q months nj his home in Plattsburg, n. Y
5 The only known reason for his actio
/. which appears rather trivial, is that ther
c is difference of opinion as to the Su
, perintendent's precise authority.
e Mr.. Amos Hadley is the second repul
: lican chief clerk of the Interior Depart
ment to resign during Cleveland's tern
r and suppose some other good repub
= lcan will be promoted to the position, a
| there seems to be woeful scarcitity {
/ Democratic material suitable for such
\ responsible place. Secretary Lamar
now quietly casting about for success
o or to tile vacancy, or rather / shoul
' say Mr.. Cleveland is doing 80 for hir
4 as the Members OF the Cabinet are Mere
r ly clerks themselves, whose business
is to register the imperious will of thei
[ Chief.
4 Mr.. Fredrick Douglass has returne
q from long and delightful tour of Eu
. rope, and lie is full of interesting remi
| niscences of the trip. He was every
n where we'll received and Hospitality er
= tertained. "Nowhere, Mr.. Douglas
d said, by single word, look or gestur
y was disapproval expressed of my colo
u or the kinks i'll my hair. and have ha
=, a most pleasant and agreeable time dur
: ing my stay abroad"
y The shameful story of naval surgeo
n Crawford and his fair and youthful vic
i tim has been told in the city police cour
p and aroused general indignation agains
Y the principal who is known as 18th
wash of the Naval Hospital" =" though n
G decision is yet reached. During tn
= progress of the trial there has been Out
= rageous elimination and re criminatio
" between the judge and the counsel o
4 both sides; the judge was charged i
4 opon court with pre- judging the cIse
= and there came near b ing n challcng
I to mortal combat by the United State
n District Attorney and opposing counse
- Not only with the UuIlei Presbyteria
II church is secret society interdiction
y vital question, but like that church a
regards instrumental music, it is a burr
ing question with the United Brelhre
church organization. Previous to tn
last General Conference, secret societie
were interdictcd, but The Conference re
moved the interdiction. This has 8
disgusted what might be called the fail
= er5 of the church that preparation